MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WPDE) — The greater Myrtle Beach area saw fewer visitors during Easter weekend than last year, but the experts point to evidence that's part of a unique trend this year, and to still expect a comparable summer to the last two record-breaking ones.

“There isn’t the overwhelming demand that we’ve seen, so we have to be a little smarter about how we attract people that are actively looking for a beach vacation," Visit Myrtle Beach's Chief Marketing Officer, Stuart Butler said.

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He noted it's a checks-and-balances situation this year, as demand to travel is through the roof, but consumers are penny-pinching.

“We’re seeing a couple of different trends, one of which is the booking window is shorter, meaning that people will wait to the last minute to book," Butler said, pointing to some watching the weather, to get more sunshine for their buck.

He said that's why Easter was lower than last year since it rained.

"Overall, we’re seeing there are other forces that are creating some challenges like cruise lines are back up and running international travel,” he said.

Still though, while a Myrtle Beach vacation is a little more expensive from restaurants and rental places facing higher wages and insurance costs, that's the case around the country, and Myrtle Beach is still more affordable than competitors.

My message to the accommodations in town, is we’ve just got to be a little more aggressive in our advertising approach this year. The demand is there, we just may have to hunt for it a little more than we have in previous years.

He said one thing giving the Grand Strand the upper hand, is the spread of rental options here.

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“We run the gambit, right?" Butler said. "We have these large-scale resorts, we have traditional chain hotels, a lot of our condo hotels have kitchens there, which is especially when people are pinching their pennies that’s a great opportunity for them to skip a meal out and save a little bit.

While airline tickets are increasing, gas prices are still going down, and Butler said half of the country can travel to Myrtle Beach within one day, which is a tank or two less than it would take some to get to competitors, like Florida.

Because of the situation, Butler said they're expecting more visitors than in 2019, and comparable numbers to last year, which is a great thing considering the situation consumers are facing.

CONWAY — A proposal to bring hundreds of condos to the Restaurant Row section of Horry County between Myrtle Beach and North Myrtle Beach is up for approval again, this time by a different developer after a previous version drew opposition from the surrounding community.

Historically known for its eclectic mix of dining options, the mile-long stretch of U.S. 17 on the north end of the Grand Strand has seen a construction boom of mainly commercial spaces in the decades after nearby S.C. Highway 22 opened to motorists.

Local developer Diamond Shores went before the Horry County Planning Commission on April 27 to request a rezoning to flip Magnolia Plaza shopping center into a multifamily residential development, a year after a similar plan by Rowe Professional Services sparked complaints over traffic and water pressure in the area, which led the Michigan-based developer to pull it.

Constructed in the mid-1980s, the existing 41,250-square-foot plaza was home to the Purple Gator, which hosted concerts from national musical acts such as Hootie & the Blowfish, LL Cool J and Widespread Panic. The club closed in the mid-1990s.

The 12-acre site is located at the intersection of U.S. 17 and Chestnut Road behind an existing CVS Pharmacy, an office building, Thoroughbreds Chophouse and a recently built Dunkin’.

Diamond Shores in its recently submitted plan proposes to build three four-story buildings housing 223 condos on 11 acres near the backside of the property where the plaza currently sits. Plans call for a pool, community garden, multiple ponds on the site and three access points.

During the workshop, the Conway-based developer said it planned the development in relation with the existing U.S. 17 commercial spots, as potential residents can provide support for the businesses in the offseason.

“Overall, I think it will be good for that area to have that new residential,” said David Schwerd, Diamond Shores chief operating officer.

No votes are taken during a workshop, so the proposal by Diamond Shores will go back before the Planning Commission at its May 4 meeting, where the public will be able to give input.

The workshop comes after a March 2022 proposal by Rowe Professional Services to build eight buildings on 13.5 acres housing hundreds of condos which initially received a blessing from the Planning Commission but was deferred by County Council at second reading the next month and later withdrawn earlier this year.

Residents from the nearby Green Lakes subdivision off of Chestnut Road last year voiced opposition over increased traffic and a possible lack of water pressure with the area being fed by a single water tower on Lake Arrowhead Road, and said the development would clash with the commercial character of the area.

Planning commissioners only give recommendations, so the County Council will, once again, have the final say if the proposed development is ultimately built.

Horry County Council member Bill Howard, who represents the area where the proposed development is slated to go, said he will have to see the site reports and then get advice from the planning and zoning department before making a decision.

“They didn’t have the community on their side at that time,” said Howard, on why the previous project was deferred by County Council and later withdrawn by Rowe Professional Services.

Howard said he will need to see traffic counts, but noted that the opening of S.C. 22 and nearby S.C. 31 in the 2000s has solved some of the previous traffic issues in Restaurant Row.

“I think Restaurant Row flows pretty well because of (S.C.) 22,” Howard said. “I was there back 50 years ago and it used to get bottlenecked, and ever since (S.C.) 22 has been discovered by tourists and everybody, it just kind of freed it up. So, I think trafficwise we will be fine.”

Howard also said County Council approved a cell tower for the back of the property which should upgrade cellular and Wi-Fi service in the area.

Restaurant Row, known for its brightly lit signs touting restaurants and shops in the area, has seen a construction boom in the past several years, with new businesses including Casa Mía at Soho North, SOHO Steak & Seafood Sushi Bar North, Clearwater Oyster Bar & Grill, Dunkin’, Portofino Italian Kitchen & Wine Bar and others.

In a funky Wednesday doubleheader where the Pelicans played one road and one home game in Charleston, the Birds took down the RiverDogs 7-2 in game one and 8-2 in game two. The two wins boosted Myrtle Beach's record to 9-7 while Charleston dropped to 6-11.

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Game One: The top of the lineup had strong performances with Parker Chavers (2-4, 2 HR, 5 RBI) hitting two home runs and Reivaj Garcia (2-4, 2B, RBI) also posting a multi-hit performance. Chavers is the first Pelicans this season to hit multiple home runs in one game. Rafael Morel (2-3) also posted a multi-hit game with a pair of singles.

It was the third start of the year for Cade Horton as he allowed just one hit through four shutout innings and two strikeouts. The win went to Saul Gonzalez (1-1) after closing out the final three innings with two earned runs off four hits and a pair of strikeouts.

Both runs for Charleston came from Odalys Peguero (2-3, 3B, 2 RBI) off a two-run triple. The RiverDogs posted just five hits and went 1-for-4 with runners in scoring position.

The loss went to Marcus Johnson (0-1) after allowing five runs, all earned, in 4 1/3 innings. Johnson allowed the first home run while Alex Cook gave up the second.

The first two frames were scoreless as the Pelicans scored first in the top of the third. Garcia hit a two-out double and Chavers followed with his second home run of the year to right field that gave the Pelicans a 2-0 lead.

Myrtle Beach broke it open with four runs coming home in the top of the fifth. With one out and runners on the corners, Garcia grounded a single to left to score Reginald Preciado from third. Chavers came up with two runners on and blasted his second home run of the game to right field for a three-run homer to put the Birds up 6-0.

One more run came in the top of the seventh off a wild pitch by Cook that allowed Morel to score from third.

Charleston plated two runs in the bottom half as Peguero hit a triple to center field with two runners on to avoid the shutout. Jhon Diaz flew out to complete the 7-2 Pelicans win.

Game Two: Playing as the home team after the April 8 contest between the two teams in Myrtle Beach was postponed, the Pelicans continued their hot hitting with an 8-2 victory. Two more home runs came from Moises Ballesteros (1-3, HR, 3 RBI) and Morel (1-2, HR, 2 RBI, BB). Cristian Hernandez (3-4, 2 RBI) also brought in two with three singles, and Chavers (2-2) smashed two more hits following his game-one performance.

Johzan Oquendo (2-0) tossed three scoreless innings in relief with six strikeouts while allowing just one hit and one walk. Starter Branden Noriega didn't allow a hit but walked five and allowed an earned run while striking out five in his 2 2/3 frames.

The RiverDogs' lineup failed to get a hit until the sixth in the seven-inning contest. Peguero (1-3) and Ryan Spikes (1-4) were the only two players to collect hits in the game. Charleston left nine on base while going 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position.

Game two starter Cade Halemanu (0-2) took the loss with three earned runs across three innings off three hits, one being a home run, and a walk with four strikeouts. Kikito Severino sacrificed the other home run.

Both teams opened play with a run in the first inning. After walking the bases loaded, Noriega balked to score Cristopher Barete from third as the RiverDogs took their first lead of the day.

The Pelicans answered back with a sacrifice fly from Ballesteros to center with Garcia scoring from third to even the game at one.

Myrtle Beach took control with five runs across the third and fourth innings. With two outs in the third, Hernandez singled and Ballesteros smashed a two-run home run to center for his third of the year to give the Birds a 3-1 advantage.

Three more runs scored in the fourth as Jefferson Encarnacion and Chavers both singled to start the inning. Encarnacion would later score on a wild pitch by reliever Jack Hartman and Chavers would be thrown out at home on a fielder's choice play. With two outs in the inning, Morel and Garcia both walked to load the bases and give way for Hernandez, who singled up the middle to score two more runs for a 6-1 Pelicans lead.

Morel's home run came in the bottom of the sixth as he pulled a ball to left-center field with a runner on base to put the Pelicans up 8-1. It was his first of the season.

With Charleston being no-hit until the sixth, they scored their second run in the top of the seventh. With two outs and a runner on second, Spikes hit an infield single to short and Hernandez committed a throwing error on the play that allowed Barete to score to make it 8-2. Estanlli Castillo flew out to right field to end the game.

The series moves to Thursday night at 7:05 p.m. for the fourth game with Myrtle Beach ahead 2-1.

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MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. — Myrtle Beach may no longer have an ‘off-season’.

Visitors and locals may have to pay for parking year-round in Myrtle Beach, WPDE reports.

The beach’s current paid parking season currently runs from the beginning of March through the end of October. Between 9 a.m. and midnight, neighborhood parking lots and street parking meters can cost anywhere from $2 to $15. The city’s ‘off-season’ may no longer exist if the city council votes for year-round parking.

WPDE spoke with Mark Kruea, the Public Information Director for Myrtle Beach, who said a goal of getting rid of the city’s ‘off-season’ is to decrease confusion about when and where to pay for parking.

“I know that sounds strange, but if you have regular parking throughout the year, there’s no learning curve for everybody when you go back to having paid parking in March or when you go away from having paid parking at the end of October,” Kruea told WPDE.

Myrtle Beach estimates that the new year-round paid parking will bring an additional quarter of a million dollars into the city. Kruea said the new funds will be given back to the city for different projects.

“The parking money gets reinvested back into the area from which it was generated, so it will go back into the downtown projects that we’re doing, the arts and innovation district, and it would also help provide additional parking down the road,” Kruea said.

The question is: how or if this new parking model will impact local businesses? WPDE spoke with Lauren Ross, a local restaurant manager who doesn’t think the change will impact her or other business owners anytime soon.

“Most people have the idea that they have to pay for parking; even when I’ve been outside of Myrtle Beach and I’ve visited somewhere in the off-season, my thought is, ‘Oh, I’m going to have to pay to park,’ whether that happens or not, so I don’t think it’s really going to affect too much,” Ross said. “I’m sure there will be one or two people, but not enough to make a really detrimental impact on business.”

If passed, the change won’t go into effect until July 1; residents and visitors won’t feel the impacts until the beginning of November, WPDE reports.

(WATCH BELOW: US Navy finds debris from Chinese spy balloon off Myrtle Beach coast)

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WPDE) — This weekend Myrtle Beach State Park visitors shared a video with WPDE showing what looked like a small eruption taking place not far off of the coast.

While many followers gave their own assumptions of what the bubbling activity was. Some thought it was potentially related to the offshore earthquake from last week, the mythical creature known as the Kraken, a submarine, and the infamous Red Jeep making its return from the deep (even though it was pulled out of Dorian floodwaters in 2019). All good guesses, but not in fact the case.

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The cluster of bubbles fizzing off the coast was captured by Aaron McAleese.

He said his kids were playing in the water when the bubbles abruptly began- that's when he grabbed his phone and started recording.

“A buddy of mine who was with me, he used to be a diver and that was where he identifies the boat and he said ‘That’s a dive flag on the back of the boat,’ And then the boat moved closer to the bubbling and they threw a buoy into the bubbles and it bubbles for about five minutes, and then it just stopped," he said.

Other witnesses commented that with the bubbling, they noticed another vessel and some diver flags nearby.

One witness told WPDE'S Ed Piotrowski that it was related to, "A directional boring machine is literally sitting in the parking lot up by the shelters. They’re blowing air through the drill head and it’s coming to the surface. You can hear it running from a mile away. My money is on that and probably not submarines, aliens, or any of the other things."

What the viewer is talking about is simply a drilling operation. According to officials with the SC Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism, the bubbling was due to work to install the Firmina cable. At least, that is the 'best assumption' that they can provide us.

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"The footage was captured as horizontal drilling related to the Firmina cable project wrapped up," said Sam Queen the department's Director of Corporate Communications. "We aren't positive it was associated with horizontal drilling, but that's our best assumption."

So, what exactly is this conundrum that's gained the attention of so many of you?

The Vice President of Marketing for DC Blox explains.

“Most recently we've been laying the board pipes that go out under the beach and into the ocean. That's what you're experiencing as part of the bubbling," Bill Thomson, said.

Thomson confirmed DC Blox's sub-sea cable project is correlated to the bubbling, and you can expect to see this happening more often as they continue the project.

“Our responsibility is up to the board pipe which is basically the conduit that the sub-sea cables get pulled. Google would be responsible for laying the sub-sea cables and they’ll come in with ships that come off the coast, lay the cable, and they’ll locate the entry point into the conduit of the board pipes and then pull them through to the connection in the parking lot," he said.

Thomsan said most sub-sea cables on the Eastern seaboard are located in the North.

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He explains why this project is such a big deal.

“These sub-sea cables carry international data traffic and there’s a significantly growing amount of traffic going internationally. So, this provides all local traffic, anywhere in the Southeast to get to international destinations and vice versa," he said.

Google officials chose the Grand Strand as their US location for a one-of-a-kind cable. The Firmina Cable will run from Myrtle Beach State Park and will connect to Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay.

Thomsan said so far they've laid down around 1,000 miles of board pipe.

DC Blox's $31.5 million cable landing is set to be finished in the fall.